A speech we had to share

Noah Sherman had many NSC campers, counselors and alumni in attendance as he became a Bar Mitzvah. Here is an excerpt as he spoke about his Torah portion and how it tied to his experience at camp:

To me a place is holy, not just because other people say it is. If you feel that a place is special, and that it is a place where you can relax and be yourself, then why can’t we call this place holy too? Sharing a place with someone, perhaps, can make the place holy. So what does holy really mean? The word holy is defined to be something connected to God or religion. But what defines a holy place to you? For me, a place that has special events or memorable moments can be holy.

The Sherman cousins at Noah’s Bar Mitvzah

One special place for me is North Star camp. The special place there is the council ring. It sits on top of a hill, and the sun sets in front of you, over a lake in the distance. Every Friday night we walk up to the council ring, to have a service. But the service isn’t specifically holy in the strictest definition of the word. For me, this place is holy, because of the beautiful sight of nature, and all the memories from past years. The council ring brings me joy, because the whole camp gathers together, and peacefully sits. We listen to beautiful songs, readings, and stories about friendship, and sportsmanship, and reflect on our own values. The Hebrew word for holy is Kadosh. This means set aside, special or unique. The council ring is set aside for Friday night services, up the hill, and away from the every day parts of camp. To me a place like this, where you can stop, gather, and reflect is holy.